title: Some ecological attributes of malarial vector Anopheles superpictus Grassi in endemic foci in southeastern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the bionomics and susceptibility status of the malarial vector Anopheles superpictus (An. superpictus) to different insecticides in the Sistan-Baluchestan province which has the highest malarial prevalence in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Different sampling methods, in addition to scoring abdominal conditions, were used to define the seasonal activity and endo/exophilic behavior of this species. In addition, the standard WHO susceptibility tests were applied on adult field strains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most adult mosquitoes were collected from outdoor shelters. The peak of seasonal activity of An. superpictus occurred at the end of autumn. Most larvae were collected from natural and permanent breeding places with full sunlight and no vegetation. Blood feeding activities occurred around midnight. Compared with the abdominal conditions of adult mosquitoes collected indoors, the abdominal conditions of adult mosquitoes collected outdoors were gravid and semigravid. This species was suspected to be resistant to DDT, but was susceptible to other insecticides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An. superpictus was present in almost all outdoor shelters, and the ratios of gravid, semigravid/unfed, and freshly fed confirmed that this species had a higher tendency to rest outdoors than indoors. This behavior can protect An. superpictus from indoor residual spraying in this malarious area. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the susceptibility status of An. superpictus in Southeastern Iran. We do not suggest the use of DDT for indoor residual spraying in southeast Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology & Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Malaria Vector Control Manager, Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Jalil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nejati
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vatandoost
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oshghi
authors.forename: Masud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.forename: Ehssan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mozafari
authors.forename: Seyed Hasan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moosa-Kazemi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004463:Ecology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D007492:Iran; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Anopheles superpictus; Iran; Malaria